John Deere, the world's largest manufacturer of agricultural equipment and Corteva Agriscience, the global leader, in two large, attractive markets – seed and crop protection – underpinned by expanding digital capabilities have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating Africa's agricultural sector and enriching the lives of farmers across the continent.

The agreement was signed by Jacques Taylor, John Deere Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, andPrabdeep Bajwa, President of Corteva Agriscience, Africa Middle East at NAMPO 2019, South Africa's largest agricultural show organised by Grain South Africa.

They were joined by Jabu Mashinini the Director Government Relations and General Counsel for John Deere Sub-Saharan Africa, and Tony Esmeraldo the Business Director, Corteva Agriscience, Southern Africa.

The agreement officially establishes and consolidates the existing relationship between John Deere and Corteva, formally coordinating collaboration opportunities in sales and marketing across Africa.

"Following the recent John Deere refreshed positioning in Sub-Saharan Africa; we are now going beyond mechanisation. Achieving higher levels of production in Sub-Saharan Africa requires cooperation across the agriculture value chain. To this end, this partnership will see John Deere and Corteva identify collaboration opportunities across Africa that combine mechanisation with the latest developments in crop science. This partnership is expected to provide African farmers with comprehensive solutions to endemic challenges through new crop management technologies and products," says Taylor.

Photo caption - Prabdeep Bajwa (left) shakes hands with Jacques Taylor (right) after they signed the MoU

The agreement includes precision farming as well as finance opportunities with John Deere Financial. It will also include technology collaboration via John Deere 'Hello Tractor' technology development programme operating in selected African markets. Significantly for Africa, "the agreement also covers small- and new-age farming technologies including the adaptation of local seed varieties," adds Taylor.

Bajwa believes that this partnership will deliver new initiatives as part of farmer-first solutions that maximise the potential of every hectare, enabling African farmers to get the most out of every season. "Since we have collaborated with the farmer in mind, we are confident that this partnership will build a better future for generations to come," says Bajwa. 

John Deere is working to grow its footprint across Africa through strategic collaborations that drive innovation in the services and offerings that support the growth and global competitiveness of Africa's agricultural sector. 

"By supplying farmers with cutting edge mechanisation, technology and the latest in crop science, John Deere is playing an active role in driving Africa's green revolution, increasing domestic food security and expanding Africa's relevance to global agricultural supply chains," concludes Taylor.